The Royal Television Society, Northern Ireland (RTS NI) has announced the nominees for this year’s Programme Awards plus a new headline sponsor Ka-Boom.

The RTS NI Programme Awards 2017 are delivered in partnership with BBC Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen, Channel 4, and UTV. The Awards Ceremony will be held in The MAC, Belfast on Thursday 16th November, hosted by Irish presenter Angela Scanlon.

The full list of shortlisted nominees in each category are:

Children’s / Animation Category

Sixteen South: Lily’s Driftwood Bay – The Salty Chicken

Zodiak Kids Studios UK: The Secret Life of Boys

Jam Media: Little Roy

Comedy and Entertainment

Waddell Media Ltd: Francis Brennen’s Grand Tour Vietnam

Roughcut TV: Delete Delete Delete

Stellify Media: Beauty Queen and Single

Drama

HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead, Television 360/Starling Television: Game of Thrones

Cuba Pictures in Association with BBC Studios: Paula

World Productions: Line of Duty

News

BBC Northern Ireland: A Nolan Show Investigation

UTV: UTV Live: The Death of Martin McGuinness

BBC Northern Ireland: BBC Newsline: The Death of Martin McGuinness

Factual Entertainment

Tyrone Productions: Nathan Goes to Nashville

Stellify Media: In Solitary

BBC NI Productions: Love in a Day

Documentary

Alleycats: How to Defuse a Bomb: The Project Children Story

Alleycats: My Wig and Me

Tern Television and Borough Productions: The Good Terrorist

Specialist Factual

Crossing the Line: Wild Ireland

Alleycats: Pop Pride & Prejudice

Tern Television: Britain’s Lost Masterpieces: Aberdeenshire

Current Affairs

Erica Starling Productions: Channel 4 Dispatches: Under Lock and Key

BBC Northern Ireland: Spotlight: Burn to Earn

UTV: UTV up Close: Northern Ireland’s Prescription Addiction

Original Music Score

World Productions: Line of Duty

Fables and Artists Studio: The Fall

Sixteen South: The Salty Chicken

Interactive Entertainment

Big Motive: Tara’s Locket – A VR Story for Children

Billy Goat Entertainment Ltd: Her Majesty’s SPIFFING

Neon: RETNE

Judges Award sponsored by Ka-Boom

Sarah McCaffrey, RTS NI Awards Committee Chair said:

“The RTS NI Programme Awards 2017 recognise the very best creative and television production talent in the local screen industry. This year we received a total of 78 submissions, which is a significant increase on last year. Among those shortlisted for the awards include Game of Thrones, Line of Duty, Paula, In Solitary, Lily’s Driftwood Bay, Little Roy and Delete Delete Delete. Our top industry judges have been very impressed by the quantity, variety and creativity of this year’s entries. They certainly had a very difficult task and we wish all those shortlisted the best of luck on the night.

“We are also delighted to announce a new headline sponsor Ka-Boom, one of Northern Ireland’s leading facilities companies providing a world class creative service for TV and film companies across factual, drama, documentaries, feature films and commercials.”

Zach Willis, Company Director and Co-Founder of Ka-Boom said:

“We are very proud to become the headline sponsor for these prestigious RTS NI Programme Awards to support and applaud the very best of the screen industry in Northern Ireland. As creative output from Northern Ireland continues to have a major impact on audiences around the globe, Ka-Boom has grown substantially providing high quality facilities not only to the local industry but also to a growing international client base.

“It is refreshing to see our creative industries achieve new heights in terms of creativity and innovation over recent years and there is no doubt that this year's shortlisted nominees are of the highest possible standard.”

The RTS NI Awards will add a new category this year for Best Original Score and Irish Composer Ronan Hardiman (Lord Of The Dance,Neverland,Waterways) who will adjudicate this year.
Hardiman says “I was delighted to be asked to be a judge in this,the first year of the Best Original Score category. Music plays such an integral role in TV Productions, and as a composer myself I know first hand the hard work that goes in to crafting and tailoring a score to suit a projects specific requirements”